Sheet handling apparatus for a printing press

ABSTRACT

Gripper devices, positioned on a transfer cylinder are arranged to release the sheet front edge either as the sheet front edge is tangent with the adjacent perfecting cylinder for printing on the same side of the sheet or when the sheet trailing edge is tangent to the perfecting cylinder for reversing the sheet and printing on both sides of the sheet. The gripper devices are opened by a cam mounted on a semicircular cam adjusting gear segment, and the gear segment is, in turn, mounted coaxially with the transfer cylinder shaft. A second gear meshes with the cam adjusting gear segment and is supported on a cam adjusting shaft journaled in the press frame. Rotation of the cam adjusting shaft rotates the cam adjusting gear segment and the cam mounted thereon relative to the axis of the transfer cylinder to change the location at which the grippers on the transfer cylinder open to release the front edge of the sheet. A locking gear segment is pivotally connected to the press side frame and is moved into meshing relation with the cam adjusting gear segment by an eccentric locking shaft to maintain the cam adjusting gear segment in a preselected angular position relative to the axis of the transfer cylinder.

United States Patent 1 Weisgerber Nov. 20, 1973 SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS FOR A PRINTING PRESS [75] Inventor: Willi Weisgerber,

Johannisberg/Rheingau, Germany [73] Assignee: Miller Printing Machinery Co.,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

22 Filed: Mar. 23, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 237,446

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 27, 1971 Germany P 21 26 258.8

[52] US. Cl. 101/230, 101/183, 101/232 [51] Int. Cl 1341f 21/06 [58] Field of Search 101/183, 229, 230, 101/231, 232, 246, 408, 409, 410

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 666,325 l/l901 North..... 101/230 1,285,774 11/1918 Middleditch..... lOl/410 X 1,916,454 7/1933 Woblrabe 101/409 2,056,922 10/1936 Gegenheimer... 101/409 X 2,757,610 8/1956 Gegenheimer... 101/183 3,537,391 1l/1970 Mowry 101/183 3,654,861 4/1972 Rudolph 101/183 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-William Pieprz AttorneyStanley J. Price, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Gripper devices, positioned on a transfer cylinder are arranged to release the sheet front edge either as the sheet front edge is tangent with the adjacent perfecting cylinder for printing on the same side of the sheet or when the sheet trailing edge is tangent to the perfecting cylinder for reversing the sheet and printing on both sides of the sheet. The gripper devices are opened by a cam mounted on a semicircular cam adjusting gear segment, and the gear segment is, in turn, mounted coaxially with the transfer cylinder shaft. A second gear meshes with the cam adjusting gear segment and is supported on a cam adjusting shaft journaled in the press frame. Rotation of the cam adjusting shaft rotatesthe cam adjusting gear segment and the cam mounted thereon relative to the axis of the transfer cylinder to change the location at which the grippers on the transfer cylinderopen to release the front edge of the sheet. A locking gear segment is pivotally connected to the press side frame and is moved into meshing relation with the cam adjusting gear segment by an eccentric locking shaft to maintain the cam adjusting gear segment in a preselected angular position relative to the axis of the transfer cylinder.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDuuvzo ma SHEET 3 BF 4 FIG. 4.

PAIENIEmmv20 ms 3.772.990

a sum nor 4 VON SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS FOR A PRINTING PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to sheet handling apparatus for a printing press in which two or more printing units are connected whereby sheets may be printed on one side or both sides and more particularly to sheet handling apparatus for a printing press in which sheets of different length may be printed on one or both sides.

2. Description of the Prior Art U. S. Pat. No. 2,757,610 illustrates and describes a sheet fed printing press that is arranged to print sheets on one or both sides, i.e., the press may be adjusted to be used as either a multi-color press or as a perfector press. The press described in the above patent includes a first printing unit and a second printing unit with three transfer cylinders therebetween. The first transfer cylinder has grippers that engage the front edge of the sheet as the sheet is being printed in the first printing unit. The sheet is thereafter transferred to the second transfer cylinder by engaging the front edge of the sheet by gripper devices on the second transfer cylinder. When the printing machine is adjusted for multicolor printing on the same side of the sheet, the sheet is transferred from the second transfer cylinder to the third transfer cylinder by grippers on the third transfer cylinder engaging the front edge of the sheet as the gripper devices on the second transfer cylinder release the front edge of the sheet. The third transfer cylinder thereafter transfers the sheet into the second printing unit where the sheet is again printed on the same side in the second printing unit.

When the printing press is adjusted for perfector printing the sheet is similarly transferred from the first printing unit to the first transfer cylinder and from the first transfer cylinder to the second transfer cylinder. For perfector printing of the sheet the gripper devices on the second transfer cylinder continue to engage the front edge of the sheet until the trailing edge of the sheet on the second transfer cylinder is tangent to the third transfer cylinder. As the gripper devices on the third transfer cylinder engage the trailing edge of the sheet, the gripper devices on the second transfer cylinde'r open and release the leading edge of the sheet. The third transfer cylinder, also referred to as the perfector cylinder, then transfers the sheet by the former trailing edge into the second printing unit where the sheet is printed on the reverse side.

The gripper devices on the second transfer cylinder are opened and closed by a lever arrangement that is actuated by cam members fixed on the press side frame. There are provided separate cams for two color printing and for perfector printing. When the press is adjusted for perfector printing, the two color cam is pivoted radially inwardly toward the axis of the second transfer cylinder to render the two color cam inactive. With the two color cam in this position, the gripper devices on the second transfer cylinder are opened only cam after the sheet front edge portion has been released by the two color cam. The perfector cam may be adjusted circumferentially for sheets of different length. Adjusting the cams by pivoting the two color cam and adjusting the perfector cam are relatively complex and time consuming. Adjustments must be made while the press is stopped and trial and error adjustments must be made for sheets of different lengths. Also, when the press is adjusted for two color-printing the gripper devices are needlessly opened and closed by the perfector cam that results in undue and unnecessary wear of the movable components of the gripper devices. There is a need for a simple gripper actuating device that may rapidly convert the transfer cylinder from two color printing to perfector printing and quickly adjust the gripper actuator device for different length sheets during perfector printing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed primarily to improvements in sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press that has a first printing unit and a second printing unit. There is provided a first cylinder that has gripper means thereon for engaging the leading edge of the sheet after printing on the obverse side in the first printing unit. A second cylinder, i.e. a transfer cylinder, is provided adjacent to the first cylinder and includes engaging means to receive the leading edge of the sheet for subsequent printing on the obverse side of the sheet in the second printing unit or to receive the trailing edge of the sheet for printing on the reverse side of the sheet in the second primary unit. The first cylinder has operating means thereon to open the gripper means. An actuating means is mounted adjacent to the first cylinder and is operable to periodically contact the operating means upon rotation of the first cylinder and open the gripper means on the first cylinder at a predetermined location during each revolution of the first cylinder. Control means are provided to adjust the position of the actuating means relative to the axis of the first cylinder to thereby control the location at which the operating means contacts the actuating means and the gripper means on the first cylinder opens to release the leading edge of the sheet when either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet reaches the tangent point between the first and second cylinder to thereby deliver either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet to the engaging means on the second cylinder.

The control means includes an arcuate gear segment mounted coaxially to the axis of the first cylinder and a gear in meshing relation with the gear segment. Meansare provided to rotate the gear and revolve the gear segment about the axis of the first cylinder. Locking means are provided to fixedly lock the gear segment in a predetermined angular position relative to the axis of the first cylinder. The actuating means includes a cam member fixedly secured to and movable with the arcuate gear segment.

With the above sheet handling apparatus it is now possible using the control means to revolve the actuating means about the axis of the first cylinder to convert the press from a two color press wherein the sheet is printed on the obverse side in both the first and second printing units to a perfecting press where the sheet is printed on the obverse side in the first printing unit and on the reverse side in the second printing unit. With the control means it is now possible to rapidly change the position of the actuating means so that either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet is delivered to the engaging means of the second transfer cylinder.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a sheet transfer apparatus for a multi-color perfector press wherein a single actuator for the grippers on the transfer cylinder is provided for both multicolor and perfector printing.

Another object of this invention is to provide sheet handling apparatus for a multi-color perfector press in which the conversion to two color or perfector printing can be made at a location remote from the transfer cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to open the grippers on a transfer cylinder only when the grippers are engaging or releasing the front edge of a sheet.

These and other objects of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the sheet fed press, illustrating the cam mechanism for opening the gripper devices on the second transfer cylinder. In FIG. 1 the cam mechanism is adjusted for two color printing.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the press adjusted for perfector printing.

FIG. 3 is a developed section taken along the line III- --III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view in front elevation of the sheet adjusting dial to indicate the adjustment of the press.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating another embodiment of the invention, in which there is only one transfer cylinder, and the cam mechanism controlling the adjustment of the gripper devices actuates the gripper devices on the impression cylinder of the first printing unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For purposes of this specification, the designation multi-color press refers to a printing press that prints successive colors on one side of a sheet of paper. The designation perfector press refers to a printing press that prints one or more colors on two sides of a sheet of paper. For convenience, one side of the sheet of paper will be referred to as the obverse side and the other as the reverse side.

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, in which like reference characters indicate similar parts, the press comprises two printing units or couples generally designated by the numerals and 12, which will be referred to as the first printing unit 10 and the second printing unit 12. A suitable sheet feed mechanism (not shown) delivers sheets from a pile onto a feedboard 14in timed relation with the speed of the press.

The printing units 10 and 12 each include an impression cylinder 16, a form or plate cylinder 18 and a blanket cylinder 20. The sheet designated by the letter S is fed down the feedboard 14 and has its leading edge engaged by a gripper device 15 on the impression cylinder 16. As the impression cylinder 16 rotates, the sheet S is printed in the first printing unit 10 on the obverse side.

Between the printing units 10 and 12 there are three transfer cylinders 22, 24 and 26 that will be designated as first transfer cylinder 22, second transfer cylinder 24 and third or perfecting cylinder 26. The first transfer cylinder 22 has a gripper device 28 thereon that is arranged to engage the front edge of sheet S at the tangent point t of impression cylinder 16 and first transfer cylinder 22. The second transfer cylinder 24 has a diameter twice the diameter of the first and third transfer cylinders 22 and 26. The second transfer cylinder 24 is arranged to rotate at the same peripheral spped as the peripheral or surface speed of the other transfer cylin ders 22 and 26'; There are pairs of diametrically opposed gripper devices 30 and 32 on the second transfer cylinder 24. The gripper device 28 on the first transfer cylinder 22 is arranged to deliver the front edge of the sheet at tangent point 1, between the first transfer cylinder 22 and second transfer cylinder 24 to one of the gripper devices 30 or 32 on the second transfer cylinder 24. The gripper device, as for example gripper device 32 illustrated in FIG. 1, engages the front edge of the sheet S at tangent point t, and upon rotation in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 is arranged to deliver the front edge of the sheet to the third transfer cylinder 26 at tangent point t Depending upon the adjustment of the hereinafter described cam for the gripper device on the second transfer cylinder 24, the leading edge of the sheet S is engaged by the two color gripper device 34 on the third transfer cylinder 26 or the trailing edge of the sheet S is engaged by the perfector grippers 36 on the third transfer cylinder 26.

When the press is arranged for two color printing, i.e. the obverse side of the sheet S is first printed in printing unit 10 and thereafter the obverse side is again printed in printing unit 12, the front edge of the sheet is delivered to the two color grippers 34 on the third transfer cylinder 26 and the respective gripper 30 or 32 releases the front edge of the sheet. Thereafter, the sheet is transferred to the second printing unit 12 by the third transfer cylinder 26 delivering the front edge of the sheet S at tangent point t, on the impression cylinder 16 in the second printing unit 12. The obverse side of the sheet is thereafter printed in the second printing unit 12 and the front edge of the sheet is delivered to gripper device 40 in the printing press sheet delivery section 42.

FIG. 1 illustrates the press adjusted for two color printing where the obverse side of the sheet is printed in both printing units 10 and 12. It will be apparent that the gripper devices 30 and 32 on the second transfer cylinder 24 must open and close at tangent points t, and to accept the sheet from the second transfer cylinder 22 and deliver the front edge of the sheet to the third transfer cylinder 26.

Now referring to FIG. 2 which illustrates the press adjusted for perfector printing, where the obverse side of the sheet is printed in the first printing unit 10 and the reverse side of the sheet S is printed in the second printing unit 12, the trailing edge of the sheet S is transferred from the second transfer cylinder 24 to the perfector grippers 36 on the third transfer cylinder 26. The leading edge of the sheet S is delivered to the grippers 28 on the first transfer cylinder 22 and the first transfer cylinder 22 delivers the leading edge of the sheet to the grippers 30 or 32 on the second transfer cylinder 24 at tangent point t The grippers, either 30 or 32, engage the front edge of sheet S while the second transfer cylinder 24 rotates beyond the tangent point until the trailing edge of the sheet S reaches the tangent point between transfer cylinders 24 and 26.

When the trailing edge of the sheet S reaches the tangent point t the trailing edge is engaged by the perfector grippers 36 and the grippers 30 or 32 release the front edge of the same sheet S. Upon further rotation of the third transfer cylinder 26, the perfector grippers 36 and two color grippers 34 rotate or tumble inwardly toward the axis of the third transfer cylinder 26, as is illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2. The trailing edge of the sheet S is then transferred to the two color grippers 34 so that the trailing edge of the sheet then becomes the leading edge of the sheet as it is delivered to the grippers 38 on the impression cylinder 16 in the second printing unit 12. Thereafter, the sheet S is printed on the reverse side in the printing unit 12 and delivered in a similar manner to the grippers 40 in the sheet delivery unit 42.

It will be apparent that the grippers 30 and .32 open at the same angular position relative to the axis of transfer cylinder 24 to engage the front edge of the sheet S as it is delivered by the grippers 28 on the first transfer cylinder 22 at tangent point However, the grippers on the second transfer cylinder 24 must open at different angular positions relative to the axis of the second transfer cylinder 24 to deliver either the front edge of the sheet to the two color grippers 34 on third transfer cylinder 26 or the trailing edge of the sheet to the perfector grippers 36 on the third transfer cylinder 26. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the locations at which the grippers open to either deliver the front edge of the sheet or deliver the trailing edge of the sheet to the third transfer cylinder 26. The above discussed manner for transferring either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet to the third transfer cylinder 26 is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,610. Further, the detailed construction of the respective cylinders and gripper devices is illustrated in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,610 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The gripper devices 30 and 32 are similar in construction and similar parts will be designated by similar numerals. The gripper devices 30 and 32 include, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a gripper shaft 44 rotatably mounted in the second transfer cylinder 24 by suitable bearings 46. Secured thereto and rotatable therewith are a plurality of gripper fingers 48 that are arranged to engage the edge of a sheet between the gripper finger 48 and a fixed gripper pad 50 mounted on the cylinder 24 in underlying relation with a portion of the gripper fingers 48. A lever 52 is secured to the end of gripper shaft 44 and extends radially therefrom. A

' cam follower 54 is connected to the end of lever 52.

The cam follower 54 is arranged to rotate the shaft 44 when the cam follower passes over a cam surface to open the normally closed grippers 30 and 32.

Now referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the cam actuators for the gripper devices and the drive for the second (not shown). A second gear 66 is coaxially mounted on the second transfer cylinder shaft 56 and is engaged to the gear 62 by means of pins 68 extending through suitable bores therein. The gear 66, .in turn, meshes with a gear on third transfer cylinder 26 and the drive train for the second printing unit 12 (not shown). When the pins 68 release the connection between gears 62 and 66, rotation of the gear 66 will rotate the third transfer cylinder 26 and the cylinders of the second printing unit 12 drivingly connected thereto, and the first printing unit 10 will remain at rest. With this arrangement, the angular positions of the cylinders in the first printing unit 10 may be adjusted as a whole relative to the angular positions of the cylinders in the second printing unit 12. This adjustment is used when the press is changed from a two color press to a perfector press or from a perfector press to a two color press. The above described drive arrangement for the printing units 10 and 12 is also illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,610. The end of the shaft 56 with the gears 62 and 66 mounted thereon is enclosed by a housing 70 having a vertical outer wall 72.

An annular ring or plate 74 (FIGS. 1 and 2) has a central aperture 76 and an outer circumferential surface 78 with an inwardly extending annular recessed portion 80 (FIG. 3). The plate 74 has a plurality of positioning bolt holes 82 and is secured to the press frame 60 by bolts 84 in coaxial relation with the cylinder 24 with the cylinder shaft 56 extending through the central aperture 76 in the plate 74. A first cam member 86 is secured to the plate 74 by means of bolts 88 through elliptical apertures 90 in the cam plate 86 (FIGS. 1 and 2). With this arrangement slight angular adjustments of the cam plate 86 may be made relative to the axis of the second transfer cylinder shaft 56. The cam plate 86 has a peripheral cam surface 92 that engages the cam follower 54 to open the grippers 30 and 32 at tangent point Since the grippers open at the same time at tangent point for both two color and perfector printing, the cam plate 86 remains in a fixed angular position relative to the shaft of cylinder 24.

A cam member support ring member 94 is coaxially positioned on the plate 74 and has an inner peripheral surface 96 abutting the plate shoulder of recessed portion 80. The ring 94 is rotatable relative to the plate 74 and has a radially extending arcuate or semi-circular gear segment 98 with radially extending gear teeth 100. The gear segment 98 has a pair of bolt receiving bores 102 therein (FIG. 3) and the second cam member 104 has a cam surface 105 and a pair of elliptical bores 106 therein that are positioned in overlying relation with the bolt receiving bores 102 in the gear segment 98. Bolts 108 secure the second cam member 104 to the gear segment 98 and the elliptical bores 106 provide for limited angular adjustment of the cam plate 104 on the gear segment 98.

The vertical wall 72 of housing 70 has a horizontal bore 110 therethrough that is aligned with a horizontal bore 112 in the press side frame 60. A tubular locking shaft 114 is mounted in the bores 110 and 112 for rotation therein. The tubular locking shaft 114 has an eccentric end portion 116 (FIGS. l, 2 and 3) adjacent the inner surface of the press side frame 60. A locking plate 1 18 has a gear toothed end surface 120 and an elliptical bore 122 therein. The locking plate 118 has an arm portion 1 19 with a bore 121 therethrough. A bolt member 123 secures the locking plate 118 by means of arm member 119 to the press side frame 60. The connection of the locking plate arm 119 to the press side frame 60 permits pivotal movement of the locking plate about the bolt 123 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The tubular locking shaft 114 extends through the elliptical bore 122 of locking plate 118 with the eccentric portion 116 of locking shaft 114 within the bore 122. A spring 124 is positioned in a radial bore 126 of the plate 118 and urges the plate 118 radially outwardly relative to the tubular locking shaft 114. With this arrangement rotation of tubular locking shaft 114 moves the gear teeth 120 of locking plate 118 into and out of meshing relation with the gear teeth 100. Since the locking plate 118 is fixed relative to the press frame 60 by bolt 123, the locking plate 118, through meshing of gear teeth 120 with the gear teeth 100 on gear segment 98, will lock the gear segment 98 in a fixed angular position relative to the axis of second transfer cylinder 24.

A handle member 128 is nonrotatably secured to the end of the tubular shaft 114 on the outboard side of the housing vertical wall 72. The handle member 128 has an indexing pin 130 that is arranged to be positioned in recessed bores 132 or 134 on protuberances 136 and 138 extending outwardly from the housing end wall 72. In the position illustrated in FIG. 3 the handle member 128 is locked by means of pin 130 in bore 132 of protuberance 136 and maintains the gear teeth 120 on locking plate 118 in meshing relation with the gear teeth 100 of gear segment 98 to thus maintain the cam plate 104 in a fixed angular relation with the axis of the second transfer cylinder 24.

An adjusting shaft 140 extends through the tubular shaft 114 and has a gear member 142 secured to the end thereof by means of a pin 144. The gear 142 has gear teeth 146 that mesh with the gear teeth 100 of the gear segment 98. The opposite end of the shaft 140 is 1 connected to a handle 148 positioned outboard of the housing vertical wall 72. The handle, as is illustrated in FIG. 4, has a dial 150 which indicates the relative angular position ofthe adjusting gear 142 connected to shaft 140. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a stop member 152 suitably connected to the press frame that is arranged to limit the clockwise rotation of the gear segment 98 to provide a fixed angular position for the cam 104.

Now referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the manner in which the printing press may be converted from a two color press to a perfector press and from a perfector press to a two color press, and further the manner in which the actuator can be adjusted for sheets of different length, will now be discussed. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the gear segment has been rotated by the adjusting gear 142 to abut the stop 152. In this position the second cam 104 is at a preselected angle relative to the axis of the transfer cylinder 24 at which the cam follower 54 engages the surface 105 of the cam 104 and opens the grippers at tangent point to thus deliver the sheet front edge portion to the two color grippers 34 on third transfer cylinder 26.

When it is desired to convert the press from two color printing to perfector printing, the handle member 128 (FIG. 3) is disengaged from the recessed bores 132 of protuberance 136 and rotated through l80 and locked in bore 134 of protuberance 138. In this position the gear teeth 120 of locking plate 118 are moved out of meshing relation with the gear teeth 100 ofsegment 98.

Rotation of handle 148 rotates the gear 142 which, in turn, through its meshing relation with the gear teeth 100, changes the angular position of the gear segment 98 and the second cam 104.

As is illustrated in FIG. 2, and when compared with FIG. 1, the gear segment 98 and cam 104 have rotated about the axis of the second transfer cylinder 24 to a location where the cam follower 54 engages the surface of the cam 104 to open the grippers on the second transfer cylinder 24 and deliver the trailing edge of the sheet to the perfector grippers 36. When the gear segment 98 and the second cam 104 are in a preselected angular position for delivering the trailing edge of the sheet to the perfector grippers, the handle member 128 is rotated and locked in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to thus, by the eccentric portion 116 of shaft 114, move the gear teeth into meshing engagement with the gear teeth 100 of gear segment 98 to thus lock the gear segment and the second cam 104 in a preselected angular position relative to the axis of the second transfer cylinder 24.

To adjust for releasing the leading edge of sheets having different lengths as the trailing edge is delivered to the perfector grippers 36, the same above described procedure is followed to unlock the locking plate 118 from the gear segment 98 and rotating the handle 148 to change the angular position of the second cam 104. The dial on handle 148 may be utilized to accurately determine the relative angular position of the second cam 104 to thus make rapid adjustments for sheets of different lengths.

In FIG. 5 there is illustrated a printing press having a pair of printing units 200 and 202 that have a single transfer cylinder 204 therebetween. The impression cylinder 206 in the first printing unit 200 has the previously described adjusting mechanism for the second cam member 104 and similar parts will be designated by similar numerals. The press has a single transfer cylinder with pairs of two color grippers 34 and perfector grippers 36. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the first cam member previously described with reference to the press illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to open the grippers at tangent point t between the first and second transfer cylinders now utilized to open the grippers to engage the front edge of the sheet as it is fed down the feedboard 14, is not shown. The impression cylinder 206 has an adjustable cam 104 to open and close the grippers 30 and 32 on impression cylinder 206 when the front edge of the sheet is delivered to the two color grippers 34 in two color printing, or the trailing edge of the sheet is delivered to the perfector grippers in perfector printing in a manner similar to the adjustable cam 104 on the second transfer cylinder 24 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and described as have what is now considered to represent its best embodiments. It should be expressly understood, however, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments disclosed therein, but may be variously practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit comprising,

a first cylinder having gripper means for engaging the leading edge of a sheet,

a second cylinder positioned adjacent to said first cylinder, said second cylinder having engaging means to receive the leading edge of the sheet for printing on the obverse side of the sheet in the second printing unit and the trailing edge of the sheet for printing on the reverse side of the sheet in the second printing unit,

operating means on said first cylinder to open said gripper means,

actuating means for said operating means mounted adjacent to said first cylinder, said actuating means including a cam member support mounted coaxially to said first cylinder and a cam member mounted on said cam member support,

said cam member support having an annular ring member mounted coaxially relative to said first cylinder,

a press frame member rotatably supporting said first cylinder, 1

said ring member rotatably supported on said frame member,

said cam member support rotatable about the axis of said first cylinder to position said cam member at a preselected angular location to said first cylinder,

said cam member operable to periodically contact said operating means to open said gripper means at a predetermined location during each revolution of said first cylinder, and

control means including means to rotate said ring member about the axis of said first cylinder to thereby adjust the position of said actuating means to control the location at which said operating means contacts said actuating means to open said gripper means and release the leading edge of said sheet when either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet is tangent with said first and second cylinder to thereby deliver either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet from said first cylinder to said engaging means on said second cylinder.

2. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

locking means to lock said actuating means at a preselected angle relative to the axis of said first'cylinder.

3. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 2 which includes,

a press frame member rotatably supporting said first cylinder, i said actuating means including an arcuate gear segment mounted coaxially with said first cylinder and rotatably supported on said frame member,

said cam member mounted on said arcuate gear segment, said cam member arranged to contact said operating means and open said gripper means upon rotation of said first cylinder,

said control means including gear means meshing with said arcuate gear segment, said gear means operable upon rotation to revolve said arcuategear segment and said cam member mounted thereon about the axis of said first cylinder.

4. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 3 in which said locking means includes, a locking plate having a gear end surface thereon, means pivotally connecting said locking plate to said frame member, and means to pivot said locking plate on said frame mem ber to move said locking plate gear end surface into meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment and lock said arcuate gear segment at a preselected angle relative to the axis of said first cylinder. 5. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 3 in which said control means includes, an adjusting shaft member rotatably mounted in said frame member and extending outwardly therefrom,

said gear means secured to said adjusting shaft member so that said gear means rotates upon rotation of said adjusting shaft member and thereby revolves said arcuate gear segment and cam member about the axis of said first cylinder.

6. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit asset forth in claim 4 in which said locking means includes,

a locking shaft member rotatably mounted in said frame member, said locking shaft member having an eccentric end portion,

said locking plate having an elliptical bore therein,

said locking shaft member eccentric end portion positioned in said locking plate elliptical bore, said locking shaft member arranged upon rotation 'to pivot said locking plate gear portion into and out of meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment, and

resilient means to urge said locking plate gear portion into meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment.

7. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printingunit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 4 which includes,

a tubular locking shaft member rotatably mounted in one of said frame members and extending outwardly therefrom, said tubular locking shaft member having an eccentric end portion,

said locking plate having an elliptical bore therein,

said tubular locking shaft member eccentric end por tion positioned in said locking shaft elliptical bore, said tubular locking shaft member arranged upon rotation to pivot said locking plate gear portion into and out of meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment,

resilient means to urge said locking plate gear portion into meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment,

a adjusting shaft member positioned in said tubular locking shaft member in coaxial relation therewith, said adjusting shaft member rotatably mounted in said tubular locking shaft member and having an end portion extending beyond said tubular locking shaft member eccentric portion, and

said gear means secured to said adjusting shaft member end portion so that said gear means rotates upon rotation of said adjusting shaft member and thereby revolves said arcuate gear segment and cam member about the axis of said first cylinder.

8. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 3 which includes,

said cam member mounted on said gear segment,

said cam member arranged to contact said operating means and open said gripper means upon rotation of said first cylinder. 

1. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit comprising, a first cylinder having gripper means for engaging the leading edge of a sheet, a second cylinder positioned adjacent to said first cylinder, said second cylinder having engaging means to receive the leading edge of the sheet for printing on the obverse side of the sheet in the second printing unit and the trailing edge of the sheet for printing on the reverse side of the sheet in the second printing unit, operating means on said first cylinder to open said gripper means, actuating means for said operating means mounted adjacent to said first cylinder, said actuating means including a cam member support mounted coaxially to said first cylinder and a cam member mounted on said cam member support, said cam member support having an annular ring member mounted coaxially relative to said first cylinder, a press frame member rotatably supporting said first cylinder, said ring member rotatably supported on said frame member, said cam member support rotatable about the axis of said first cylinder to position said cam member at a preselected angular location to said first cylinder, said cam member operable to periodically contact said operating means to open said gripper means at a predetermined location during each revolution of said first cylinder, and control means including means to rotate said ring member about the axis of said first cylinder to thereby adjust the position of said actuating means to control the location at which said operating means contacts said actuating means to open said gripper means and release the leading edge of said sheet when either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet is tangent with said first and second cylinder to thereby deliver either the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing edge of the sheet from said first cylinder to said engaging means on said second cylinder.
 2. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a fIrst printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 1 which includes, locking means to lock said actuating means at a preselected angle relative to the axis of said first cylinder.
 3. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 2 which includes, a press frame member rotatably supporting said first cylinder, said actuating means including an arcuate gear segment mounted coaxially with said first cylinder and rotatably supported on said frame member, said cam member mounted on said arcuate gear segment, said cam member arranged to contact said operating means and open said gripper means upon rotation of said first cylinder, said control means including gear means meshing with said arcuate gear segment, said gear means operable upon rotation to revolve said arcuate gear segment and said cam member mounted thereon about the axis of said first cylinder.
 4. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 3 in which said locking means includes, a locking plate having a gear end surface thereon, means pivotally connecting said locking plate to said frame member, and means to pivot said locking plate on said frame member to move said locking plate gear end surface into meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment and lock said arcuate gear segment at a preselected angle relative to the axis of said first cylinder.
 5. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 3 in which said control means includes, an adjusting shaft member rotatably mounted in said frame member and extending outwardly therefrom, said gear means secured to said adjusting shaft member so that said gear means rotates upon rotation of said adjusting shaft member and thereby revolves said arcuate gear segment and cam member about the axis of said first cylinder.
 6. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 4 in which said locking means includes, a locking shaft member rotatably mounted in said frame member, said locking shaft member having an eccentric end portion, said locking plate having an elliptical bore therein, said locking shaft member eccentric end portion positioned in said locking plate elliptical bore, said locking shaft member arranged upon rotation to pivot said locking plate gear portion into and out of meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment, and resilient means to urge said locking plate gear portion into meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment.
 7. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 4 which includes, a tubular locking shaft member rotatably mounted in one of said frame members and extending outwardly therefrom, said tubular locking shaft member having an eccentric end portion, said locking plate having an elliptical bore therein, said tubular locking shaft member eccentric end portion positioned in said locking shaft elliptical bore, said tubular locking shaft member arranged upon rotation to pivot said locking plate gear portion into and out of meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment, resilient means to urge said locking plate gear portion into meshing relation with said arcuate gear segment, a adjusting shaft member positioned in said tubular locking shaft member in coaxial relation therewith, said adjusting shaft member rotatably mounted in said tubular locking shaft member and having an end portion extending beyond said tubular locking shaft member eccentric portion, and said gear means secured to said adjusting shaft member end portion so that said gear means rotates upon rotation of said adjusting shaft member and thereby revolves said arCuate gear segment and cam member about the axis of said first cylinder.
 8. Sheet handling apparatus for a sheet fed press having a first printing unit and a second printing unit as set forth in claim 3 which includes, a cam member support ring coaxially mounted relative to said first cylinder, said support ring rotatably supported on one of said frame members, said arcuate gear segment is secured to said support ring and extends radially therefrom, and said cam member mounted on said gear segment, said cam member arranged to contact said operating means and open said gripper means upon rotation of said first cylinder. 